Setting composite piles



Oct.a 209 925.

M. M. UPSON SETTING COMPOSITE PILES Filed'May 3l 1923 2 Sheng-Sham. 2

TTORNE V Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED ASTATES PATENT oFFicE.

MAXWELL M. arson, E ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

SETTING COMPOSITE PILES.

Application filed May 31, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be -it known that I, MAXWELL M. UPSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improve` hole can be prevented while the operation is being carried on. To this and other ends the invention which I desire to cover herein consists in the novel features and combinations hereinafter described.

In carrying out the invention in the preferred manner a pipe 0f suitable strength and stiffness, cylindrical or downwardly tapering in form as may be desirable, is first driven into the ground, as by means of a driving member or follower inside to receive the impact or pressure of the driving hammer or apparatus. The lower end'of the pipe is closed by a frangible boot, of sheet metal or other suitable material, preferably pointed, into which the corresponding shaped end of the follower fits closely to prevent rupture 0f the boot as the driving proceeds. 7When the booted pipe has been sunk to the desired de th the follower is removed (leaving the oot in place) and the lower or wooden portion of the pile is driven into the ground, through the boot. In this operation it is desired to cause the boot to split longitudinally along a number of lines, instead of tearing oli' or rupturing circumferentially, and for this purpose the necessary break in the boot can be made by any suitable tool before the wood pile is inserted or the end of thc latter can be equipped with a cutting point. which will cut the boot longitudinally at or near the point. Vhen the wood pile has beendriven as far as desired the concrete pileis cast on top of it, or, preferably, a pre-cast concrete pile is lowered into the pipe and set down Serial No. 642,643.

on the wood pile, after which the pipe is pulled up out of the ground to permit the soil to cave in against the completed composite pile.

The method and apparatus outlined above are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing the booted driving pipe, with the follower inside,'sunl{ to a desired depth in the ground.

Fig. 2 is. a vertical section showing the wood pile in process of being driven into the ground through the driving pipe and the boot on the lower end of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the y wood pile sunk as far as desired.

Fig. 4 is a .vertical section showing the concrete upper pile seated on the wooden lower pile.

Fig. 5 shows the completed composite pile, in the ground, after removal of the driving pipe.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectional views showing slightly different forms of drivingboots.

As indicated, the driving pipe 10 has its lower end thickened inwardly, as at 11, Figs. 1 and 7 to form a reinforced cutting edge and also to provide an internal shoulder for the flange 12 (Fig. 6) of the sheet metal boot 13, which Vextends down- `wardly out of the pipe and is, preferably,

pointed as shown. The boot-flange 12 may be reinforced or strengthened in any convenient manner, as for example by means of a steel ring 14, which may be fastened to the flange in any convenient manner, or in some cases may rest loosely thereon.. side of-the pipe 10 is the driving tool or follower 15, Fig. 1, of somewhat less diameter than the inside of the pipe but having near its lower end a collar or shoulder 16 to seat evenly on the ring- 14 or directly on the boot-fiange 12 if the ring is omitted. The lower end of the follower is shaped to fit the boot quite accurately to the apex thereof, so that in the operation of driving the pipe into the ground the boot will not be ruptured. f The parts described above having been assembled they are driven into the ground, as in Fig. 1. It willbe understood that the collar 16 and the shoulder formed by the inwardly thickened lower portion of the pipe form cooperating stops which limit downward movement of the follower relative to the pipe and boot and so prevent rupture of the latter during the driving.

The follower 15 is now removed and a wooden pile 17, Fig. 2, is driven down, through the pipe 10 and the boot 13. In Order to insure that the boot will tear longi`- tudinally as the pile descends the break.

may be initiated by any suitable tool, not shown, inserted in to the pipe from above, before the wood pile is inserted. Then as the latter descends the boot splits into strips, more or less tongue-like, as indicated for example at 1S, which are held firmly against the pile by the pressure of the soil. The boot is therefore kept in close contact with the pile and is-thus enabled to dam out mud and water which might otherwise rise into the pipe 10 from below. In some cases, especially with a boot made of heavier material, it may be advantageous to provide the boot with radial slits, as 19, Fig. 6, to make sure that it will not tear ofi' (circumferentially) above the line of contact with the pile. In this form the point of the boot may tear off at the lower ends of the slits but this effect is usually of no importance, specially if the slits terminate on a circle smaller than the outside of the pile. As the tapered wood pile descends to the desired depth Fig. 3, for example) the hole in the boot is correspondingly enlarged but the close fit on the pile is maintained by the pressure of the soil.

The concrete portion of the composite.

pile is shown at 20, Fig. 4, and is small enough in diameter to permit withdrawal of the pipe 10. It may be installed by casting in place, using a suitable form or inold (not shown) or, preferably, by pre-casting it and lowering it into place. The two parts of the pile can be connected in any convenient manner, especially for the purpose of resisting lateral pressures at the joint, as `for example by shaping the upper end of the wood pile to form a tenont21` and providing` the lower end of the concrete pile with a soeliet to fit down on the tenon, as shown in Fig. 4.

The pipe 10 is now pulled out, bringing with it the ring 14; and the remains of the boot if the two are secured together. In many cases the ring can be re-used, especially if it is not attached to the boot.

The boot 13, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8, el and 6, has a cylindrical portion above the conical part, to conform with the inner surface of the particular driving pipe shown, but the cylindrical part may be omitted, as in the boot shown at 13b in Fig. 7, for example. This is acheaper and simpler form, andl 'in many cases equally satisfactory. Likewise,

the loweredge of the pipe 10 may be more or less flat, as in Fig. 7, instead of beveled as in Fig. 1.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the speciiie construction and procedure herein illustrated and described but can be carried vout in other ways without departure from its spirit as deiined by the appended claims.

I claimf 1. An "apparatus for the purpose described, comprising a driving pipe having its lower end, a boot extending downwardlyfrom the lower end of the pipe and having a flange overlying said shoulder, and a removable follower' in the pipe, having a collar overlapping` said shoulder to limit the downward movement ot' the follower relative to the pipe and boot, the lower end of the follower being fitted to the boot to support the same during driving. i

An aliparatus` for the purpose described, comprising ay driving pipe having an internal shoulder near its lower end, a boot extending downwardly out vof the pipe and having a flange overlying said shoulder, a reinforcing ring associated with said flange and also overlying said shoulder, and a removable follower in the pipe, having. a collar extending outwardly over said ring and flange and having its lower end fitted to the boot to support the same during drivmg.

4. In a method of setting composite piles, steps comprising driving into the ground an assemblage.comprising a pipe having its lower end closed by a boot, and

a removable follower in the pipe adapted to support'the boot. and prevent rupture thereot' during the driving; removing the follower; inserting a lower pile section in the pipe and driving the lower pile section through the pipe to rupture the boot and carry the section into the ground; and installing an upper pile section on the upper end of the lower section.

5. In a method of setting' composite piles, the steps comprising driving into the ground a pipe having its lower end closed by a boot and during the driving supporting the hoot to preventruptine thereof,

driving into the 'ground through the pipe and boot a lower pile section whereby the pressure of the soil causes the ruptured boot to hug the pile section as the latter is driven, and assembling an upper pile section on the upper end of the lower section.

(i. In a method of setting composite piles, the steps comprising driving into the ground a pipe having its lower end closed by a frangible hoot and supporting the boot during the driving to prevent rupture, rupturing the boot, and driving a lower pile section into the ground through the pipe and ruptured boot, while portions of the boot encircling the pile section are held snugly against the same by the pressure of the soil.

7. In a method of setting composite piles, the steps comprising driving into the ground a pipe having its lower end closed by a frangible boot, driving a lower pile section into the ground through the ipe and boot7 while the portions of the oot encircling' the pilev section are held snugly against the same by the pressure of the soil, and installing an upper pile section on the upper end of the lower section.

8. In a method of setting composite piles, the steps comprising driving into the ground an assemblage comprising a driving pipe having an internal shoulder near its lower end, a frangible boot closing the lower end of the'pipe and having a flange overlyinr the shoulder, a ring associated with the lboot flange to reinforce the same and overlying the shoulder and a removable follower having a collar overlying the ring and having its lower end fitted to the boot to support the same; removing the follower; driving a lower pile section into the ground through the pipe and boot; installing an upper pile section on the lower section; and withdrawing from the grpund the pipe and ring and remains of the boot.

In testimony whereof I hereto aix my signature.

MAXWELL M. UPSON. 

